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At NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, fans were blindsided by Adam Cole's betrayal of his Undisputed ERA ally, Kyle O'Reilly. After the Undisputed ERA saved NXT Champion Finn Balor from a beatdown at the hands of Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch, it seemed like Balor and the stable were finally on the same page.
But this moment was short-lived because Cole delivered a swift superkick to Balor. When O'Reilly confronted Cole about the assault, the former NXT Champion superkicked his stablemate and walked away.
O'Reilly seems like he's set for a huge babyface run after this shocking ending to NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day. Cole is returning to his old heel character, and he could become even more of a villain in the process. Roderick Strong is a wild card in this scenario, as he didn't align with Cole or O'Reilly at the end of Sunday's show. Likewise, Bobby Fish is currently out with an injury.
It's unclear where this huge betrayal will lead, but here are five potential next steps for the Undisputed ERA.
#5 Kyle O'Reilly and Finn Balor could turn on each other in NXT
Following this shocking moment with the Undisputed ERA at the end of NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, WWE released unseen footage of what happened after the event ended. In the video clip, Finn Balor is seen rising to his feet and staring at Kyle O'Reilly before he leaves the ring. It appears that Balor is unaware that O'Reilly was also attacked by Adam Cole.
This tense moment could cause trouble between O'Reilly and Balor in NXT. The NXT Champion may not believe that O'Reilly was also a victim of Adam Cole's actions. As a result, fans could see some friction between the pair. Balor might be under the impression that O'Reilly was responsible for the attack. At the very least, he might think that O'Reilly supported Cole's assault.
Balor and O'Reilly had earned each other's respect, as they competed in two gruelling title matches. But this development could cause the two stars to butt heads once more.
With the reports that NXT will have a presence at WrestleMania 37, the pair could battle it out for the NXT Championship on the Grandest Stage Of Them All in April.
#4 Could there be an Undisputed ERA Civil War in NXT?
As of this writing, Bobby Fish is away from NXT because he's dealing with an injury. The Undisputed ERA is down to three members right now. When Adam Cole delivered his attack on Finn Balor and Kyle O'Reilly at the end of NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Roderick Strong was left in the middle of Cole and O'Reilly. He was seemingly confused over which side he would take in the conflict.
As a result, the potential feud between Cole and O'Reilly could begin with the pair battling over Strong's loyalty. It is not currently known when Fish return to NXT following his injury at NXT Takeover: WarGames. But when he does come back, NXT could feature a civil war between the two halves of the Undisputed ERA.
It's easy to imagine Fish teaming up with his tag team partner O'Reilly to take on the turncoats, Cole and Strong. After all, Fish and O'Reilly have been a team for several years, so he could feel compelled to remain by O'Reilly's side.
Either way, an Undisputed ERA civil war could be one of the most explosive rivalries on NXT in 2021.
#3 Adam Cole joins the Kings of NXT
One of the most heated NXT rivalries in recent memory was the feud between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee. The two stars and their respective groups (The Undisputed ERA and the Kings of NXT) battled for a few months. Cole faced McAfee at NXT TakeOver: XXX and defeated his enemy. Later, the Undisputed ERA overcame the Kings of NXT at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
Following this shocking development at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Cole could surprise the fans again by teaming up with his former enemies, the Kings of NXT.
Of course, he'd probably become the group's new leader. Given McAfee's absence, the stable needs a new commander, and Cole has literally been the king of NXT for some time now.
Cole leaving the Undisputed ERA behind to lead its enemy faction would a dynamic twist. McAfee is a busy man, so he might not return for the foreseeable future. For this reason, Cole could take over the group and become its the new leader. From there, he could clash with McAfee over the proverbial spot at the head of the table.
#2 An NXT tag team feud between Adam Cole and Roderick Strong, and Kyle O'Reilly and Finn Balor
Following Adam Cole's actions at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, it is unclear which side Roderick Strong will take in the apparent split in the Undisputed ERA. It appears like Kyle O'Reilly will be aligning with the current NXT Champion Finn Balor.
If Strong does indeed align with Cole in the rivalry, it could create a tag team feud between the two duos. There would be great potential in this rivalry if it happens on NXT. Both pairs have worked together previously as a team, so they're familiar with each other.
Finn Balor and Kyle O'Reilly recently took on the reigning NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. Plus, Cole and Strong often partner up as a part of the Undisputed ERA in tag team competition. In fact, they've held the tag team championship together.
It would be interesting to see the in-ring dynamic in a potential clash between the two pairings in an NXT ring. This feud could be the most exciting outcome of Sunday night's cliffhanger.
#1 Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly could face Finn Balor for the NXT Championship
Following the reports that NXT will be involved in the action at WrestleMania 37, a huge title match for the black-and-gold brand could take place at the event. WrestleMania 37 will be a two-night show, so many fans expect to see an NXT Championship Match on one of the cards.
After Adam Cole's betrayal of Kyle O'Reilly and Finn Balor at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, the former champion might be the next contender for the NXT Championship. Plus, Balor was seemingly unaware that O'Reilly had also been a victim of Cole's outburst. So the champion might blame O'Reilly for these stunning events.
Many fans and analysts of NXT have also been very complimentary of O'Reilly's recent NXT Championship matches with Balor, as the former tag team specialist has proven himself as a singles star. This feud coud genuinely allow O'Reilly to become an established main eventer. He'd be working with two of the brand's top stars at the same time, so he would only stand to gain from this exposure.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
